Icy Waters: A Collection of Clan Short Stories
by ChaoticXXHearts
Summary: This details the chronicles of Clan Meur, living their day to day life as time goes on.
1. Dragon Nip

Dragon Nip

A dark blue furred paw stuck deep into the fluid sand, scooping it up and tossing it to the side. Carwen huffed at the feeling of grit between her claws, not quite used to it but knowing full well that she would never be able to shake out every single grain of sand that clung to her wet fur like a leech. The sticky salt water would be even harder to deal with, but she was prepared to put up with it for the sake of making her own home.

Deeper and deeper she dug into her hole, once in a while coughing up water that she accidentally inhaled. It was going to be a lovely tunnel system, though the work would be much easier if there was someone else helping her… The Tundra perked her ears up at the sound of splashing and turned around. Another of her species was sauntering his way towards her, carrying several branches stripped of its leaves in his mouth with a friendly look on his face. She cocked her head to one side and sniffed at his direction. He was a stranger, his smell completely unrecognizable, but he seemed nice and his intentions were friendly. She squinted at his silver fur and pink mane that remained plastered against his body. Not much to look at, though.

The female dragon ignored him and continued to dig, getting a little irritated when he came closer to her digging spot. The male gently put the branches down next to the hole and tried to nudge her face. What he got was a light nip in return. Carwen stopped mid-dig and jumped a little when something nipped at her flanks. Her head shot towards the other Tundra playing innocent. Two could play at that game. She dove in to bite at his wing, but he dodged out of the way, chortling at her gesture. The second attempted was more successful and she smirked at his satisfying yelp. The next few minutes were spent tussling with each other, both of them giving light nips to the other Tundra. By the time both of them were done, the female was panting as the male gave happy chirps, nuzzling into her neck.

She nudged him away and waddled back to her hole, once again digging. She wasn't alone this time, though. The male was helping her out and- hm, she didn't get his name yet, did she? A few clicks and trills later, she smiled and went back to work. Hohepa, was it? He wasn't much to look at, but now she didn't mind so much.

* * *

**Geez I suck at titles. orz Anyway, first story of Icy Waters, detailing how the progen I made, Carwen, met the random progen, Hohepa. Basically my first reaction to when I saw him was "Wow, you're kinda fugly. XD" I ended up falling in love with him a day later whoops. Carwen and Hohepa are, obviously, the leaders of the clan and mates. And so far they seem to be taking in mostly hatchlings, but that's a story for another time. |D Oh yeah, the dragon nipping with love each other idea was basically given to me from a friend long ago in this dA group, sorry if anyone's confused by that. Anyway, hope you enjoy!**


	2. Swirling Flight

Swirling Flight

Mako always had a hard time understanding other dragons. Really, things would be so much easier if they had crests that flared when angry or shrank when scared. So when she was taken in by the two furred coats of Water and not Wind, she understandably couldn't make out what their intentions were. In turn, they always had a puzzled look as she talked to them flatly, coal crests wiggling with anxiety at the barrier. They were patient, though, and she was welcomed with great trumpetings of joy.

They were eventually joined by a pearl bearer of Earth that limped with her left leg and a swirly one hatchling of Ice that couldn't stay still. She was actually glad that she was no longer the only hatchling there, though she secretly wished that they had taken in another Fae just like her. She was full of energy, so it always disheartening whenever her adoptive parents couldn't play with her, having taken to watching their eggs or digging out a new section of their underground home. But with the swirly one, Loko, here, she could finally expend the pent up energy as they raced through the tunnels and annoyed the adults.

Unlike the other dragons, for some reason the Fae was able to understand Loko just fine. When he was dashing around _her_ room and knocking down the tree saps she meticulously decorated it with, it meant that he wanted to play. When his red body straightened out and he growled, rolling like a log from side to side, it meant he was irritated. And when he was lonely and missed his home, he would go to her and wrap his body around her tiny black and white one. It also amazed her that he seemed to know when she was feeling lonely too, though maybe he somehow learned what drooping crests and huddling in a leaf nest meant.

She remembered a time where there were winds shredding through the world and the little dragon being tossed this way and that, only to be taken by another clan into an abandoned city. She lived there for a while before wandering away from it, scared when she realized she somehow went too far. So to keep from breaking down, she closed her eyes and channeled the memories of howling winds, letting them blow in all directions in hopes of being found. She was found, but not by the dragons she expected. And though she did end up loving them as if they were her actual parents, the tiny dragon couldn't help but wish to be whisked around by high winds again.

As she spread her wings for her Day of Flight and her crests flapped with excitement, she could hear the whispers of the pearl bearer Azadaia and the other hatchlings she would soon no longer be a part of. For once, she knew that they were as excited as she was. Once, twice, three times and her tiny body was lifted into the air and she soared towards the cave ceiling faster than the others could blink. At the sound of a shriek, she looked down and saw Loko wiggling and tying himself into knots at her display. As she began to twist and twirl, doing loop-de-loops that matched the swirly ones movements, Mako smiled for the first time.

* * *

**Second story for my clan writings. The way I see it, the species names are what the species themselves call them while they call everyone else by a certain trait of theirs (For Fae, Pearlcatchers are pearl bearers, Spirals are swirly ones, Tundras are furred coats, etc.). I also imagine that hatchlings can't fly until they grow up, the moment here they grow up being their Day of Flight. Oh yes, I plan on shipping Mako with Loko. Childhood romance woo~ Hope you enjoy!**


	3. Like the Sun

Like the Sun

If there was one thing Letherii was unsure, it was the fact she was being sent to another clan to be mated with someone she never met. The Coatl fidgeted and clicked her tongue, looking nervously at the earthen eye of the beholder. Azadaia rolled her eyes and chittered in reassurance, giving her a quick snap on the nose when the other protested. After that was just awkward silence while the two swam their way to Fishspine Reef. While not as adept at swimming as the leaders of their clan, they were at least able to magic themselves so they could breathe underwater, of that both outsiders were thankful for.

She whined through her nose. She missed her home of thunder and lightning, of tall spires that reached towards the clouds and thunder striking them with all their might, electrifying the air around them and making an indescribable field that enveloped the whole community. At least there she didn't have to worry about mating with anyone anytime soon. Another bite to the snout silenced her thoughts and the Coatl fluffed her platinum wings in fear when she noticed they had arrived at Fishspine Reef.

Oh how much she wanted to go back and watch over the hatchlings! But alas, she couldn't and here she was with the eye of the beholder looking around and asking for directions that led to her new, she was very reluctant to say, mate's clan. She eyed Azadaia as she waddled behind her slowly, allowing her to lead the way. Truthfully, Letherii envied the other's shiny black coat and purple wings that flared proudly, even if she was silent compared to most eye of the beholders she'd met. In contrast, she was given an ugly blue body and gray wings that shifted with the sunlight, which annoyed her to no end, with yellow electricity shooting along her body. Once more she was jolted out of her thoughts, this time with the sound of a hissing and irritated Azadaia. Her heart sank at the realization she had finally arrived and she begged for the black dragon to stay with her, only to watch the other leave and a new, questioning call directed towards her.

She turned around and felt her heart skip a beat. The male Coatl looked like springtime and sunlight streaming through the leaves of trees, his light green body accented with golden wings. Brown earthy eyes gazed at her softly as he shyly waddled up to her, crooning in a sweet voice and offering her an olive branch. Her tiny lower wings fluttered in time with her heartbeats and she dipped her head in greeting, hesitantly touching his face with her own. The moment he nuzzled back, Letherii began to believe that maybe being sent off to mate with someone from a different clan wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

Letherii isn't in my clan at the moment, being away to hatch eggs in a different clan (Well no duh, I just wrote that lol). Still, I wanted to get this out before the eggs hatched (Unlike how I procrastinated initiating this thread before Carwen and Hohepa's babies hatched. orz) and I'm just so excited for her, can't wait to see how they're babies will look like! Also, apparently the male Coatl mentioned in this piece was wearing a skin and I didn't realize it until a bit later so I don't know what he actually looks like. Oh well, she still likes him. Anyway, hope you enjoy!


	4. Guard

Guard

Pain, so much pain. Carwen inhaled sharply and squeezed her eyes shut as the sound of battle continued around her. Her mate's worried keening, Azadaia's fierce screeching as she fired Contuse after Contuse at their enemies, her labored breathing as she lay there, completely useless, became but a whisper as her thoughts clouded her mind.

Tundras weren't known for battling, that was a fact. Rather, their kind preferred diplomacy over fighting, shying away from conflict whenever possible. Even if they were forced to fight, it would be by a distance while shielding the dragonkin they've sworn to protect. The shield was no good, though, if it collapsed. And it was definitely no good if the ones she was supposed to protect ended up getting hurt because of her weakness.

She silently whimpered to herself. If she was unable to tolerate blow after blow, then how would she be able to defend the hatchlings? What kind of a soon to be mother was she if she couldn't even protect her eggs? …Why even bother forming her own clan in the first place if her clan mates will just end up taking the blows for her?

There was a light tap on her face and she slowly opened her eyes. Hohepa was looking at her in worry, murmuring quietly as he began to groom her. She blinked in surprise. Weren't they fighting just moments before? A quick sniff assured her that their foes have long since been vanquished, bodies being harvested for material by the memory ball holder. Carwen slowly stood up with the help of her mate, determination on her face. No more allowing her dragonkin to get hurt, from now on, she'll envelop them all under her wings and take the hits meant for them.

* * *

Oh look, angst. My forte- *shot* Title was basically taken from that one move you can equip your dragons with that allows them to take the damage for another dragon. Again, this is one of those stories I wished I put up before Carwen and Hohepa's babies hatched. Too late to do that though, oh well. Not much else to say this time, hope you enjoy!


	5. Tangible Memory

Tangible Memory

It was easy to mistake Azadaia for a Shadow dragon, midnight body blending into the darkness while her eyes seemingly gleamed purple. She was hard to decipher like one too, preferring to stay a bit away from the rest of the clan unless absolutely necessary. If one were to look at her eyes in sunlight, however, they would find out that she was actually a dragon of Earth and not of Shadow like they first thought. How an earthen Pearlcatcher like her became so silent and brooding, none of the other clan members could tell.

There was a bit of an exception to the rule: hatchlings. While she would rather keep her distance, she tolerated a hatchling's play more than a dragon's idle chitchat and there were thankfully very few adults compared to the children. She tried to ignore the fact that someday all hatchlings will take their Day of Flight and become even more annoying fledglings as she watched over them playing with each other. It was the usual affair, some wrestling with each other while others explored the cave area the clan leader dug for them.

Her gaze softed. In truth, she had always wanted a hatchling of her own, but that dream had been ripped away from her along with- Two dragons dashed past her and smacked the pearl out of her hands. She hissed and spat at Mako and Loko's irresponsibility as she wrapped her body protectively over the precious object, careful not to agitate her lame leg. While others of her kind kept theirs as a reminder of their own lives, hers was kept for a very different reason, one that would immediately have every Pearlcatcher that knew to try and kill her.

Her memories went back to her first clan at Greatwyrm's Breach. Though it contained many dragons other than her species, the Pearlcatchers generally kept to themselves and made their own cave paintings of the First Age. Most of her time was spent growing her pearl and painting murals while chattering with the other Pearlcatchers about the rest of the clan. It was no secret that they didn't like the lesser dragons, but they did provide a bunch of amusing little stories they could tell.

Eventually she took in a mate and all was well for a while. That is, until it was their turn to gather items. Though she wanted to not dirty her claws and continue watching her egg, her mate insisted that they go and they set off, Azadaia carrying her egg with her like an idiot. They eventually stumbled into a cave and hadn't gotten very far when they were attacked by monsters. Both of them tried to run, but she had found it incredibly hard to carry her egg _and_ her pearl without slowing down and being caught. Her mate's fatherly instincts kicked in and he told her to run as he held them off. And run off she did, with a Shattered Serpent getting past the male Pearlcatcher's defenses and chasing after her.

Her memories after that were a blank, but when she came to, she found both her pearl and egg gone. The despair she felt at that moment was multiplied tenfold when she searched for her mate and stumbled upon his torn apart body. Now what was she going to do? She had lost everything, including the pearl that made her _her_. She couldn't go back to her clan, as the other Pearlcatchers would shun her now pearl-less status, and she had nowhere else to go but perhaps wander the earth. But she needed a pearl so that others of her species wouldn't look down on her… Azadaia glanced over at the corpse. Her mate's pearl was still there. Without a second thought, she grabbed it and fled from the cave of death.

A nudge snapped her out of her reminiscing and she found the hatchling Abby timidly asking her to come play with the other hatchlings. Before she could even protest, the rest of the hatchlings ambled their way towards her. Azadaia blinked in surprise before complying, keeping a tight hold on her mate's pearl while allowing the little one to play with her tail.

* * *

This one's a bit longer than the rest since it's Azadaia's backstory. As for the bit about her injured leg...how should I explain this? I usually rng the names since I can't name a thing coherently to save my life, but some names rng'ed were not really that good, though they did give me ideas about the dragon being named. When I rng'ed Azadaia's name, she got Lame. Obviously I didn't want to name her that, but it gave me the idea to give her a bit of a limp. Also I don't know if it's just me, but Azadaia's expression is more mournful and brooding compared to other Pearlcatchers. For the bit about stealing her mate's pearl, I imagine that since the encyclopedia states that Pearlcatchers shun the pearl-less ones because it's their very essence, stealing another's pearl is a capital crime among them, even if it's from a dead body. The encyclopedia also states that dragons are notorious cowards, but since I have her fighting fiercely in Guard, I guess you can say this backstory explains why she's a fighter instead of a runner: she doesn't want any harm to come to the dragons she cares about, lest they meet the same fate as her old mate. Anyway, enough of me rambling. Hope you enjoy!


	6. Fatherhood

Fatherhood

While Hohepa was a bit of a jokester, working hard to make the other members of his clan laugh, he was very dutiful when it came to fatherhood. Each day, he would go to his and Carwen's nest and sing to the unborn little ones while keeping them warm with his body. Sometimes he thought he could hear their delighted chirps when he started purring out a ditty, others he could feel the eggs warm up whenever he pressed his body against their shells.

He was very much excited to be a father, but also nervous. What would the children look like once they hatched? He hoped they would be as beautiful as their mother and not so odd when it came to fur colors like he. Would they even like him? Though he tried to be as good of a father to the hatchlings they took in, being one to your own kin was an entirely different matter. It involved much more fretting when one was sent off to another clan to mate, in fear of losing the memory of the child they raise, and if they started to smell like an enemy while he hardly remembered what they look like, he would be forced to fight the child he once lovingly raised.

Then there was the little issue of exalting. Though he praised Tidelord as much as the other water dragons, he couldn't help but feel that sending a little one to serve their deity was not worth it. Especially if the child or even the_parent_ was a Tundra; they were known to be incredibly forgetful and if they met a dragon they've once known after a season, they'll have to restart the relationship all over again. Exalting allowed no such possibility of reunion and he feared that if one of his hatchlings ever was exalted, he would go about his life with a hole in his heart, unable to remember the reason for his grief.

He had discussed this issue with his mate and she too was worried about the possibility. Both were a little reluctant to let go of their kin, but as more dragons stayed in their clan, the resolve to keep them became less certain. Both leaders wanted their children to go to good homes without the worry of being exalted to a deity, but they hardly knew any clan that would surely take them when the time came. In the end, they decided to leave it to fate's whim and dropped the issue, fear and worry still nagging at their minds.

The male Tundra jolted awake at something stirring against his side and he looked to find one of the eggs rocking back and forth. He screeched with joy and lumbered off to find Carwen, stumbling over his big feet out of excitement until he found her. The two rushed back to the nest, just as an egg cracked and a tiny head peeped out from it. Hohepa felt a surge of pride when the babies began to tumble out of their eggshells plastered in wet fuzz, eyes closed and sniffing the air curiously. He cooed and helped the female Tundra lick their babies clean. He'll put aside his worries for now; he was just happy to take his first step into actual fatherhood.

* * *

What are titles orz Ah yes, here are some of my beliefs on exalting. I personally am uncomfortable with the idea since you never get to see the dragons again. Ever. And most go unnamed or are just babies when they're exalted which is just- gah. Doesn't help that apparently some people think that a few of the gods _eat_ their exalted rather than just serve the god. In story, I would think that Tundras are probably the most uncomfortable with the issue of exalting because their memory sucks. When sent to a different clan from what they're used to, at least they can attempt to revisit and refresh their memory. Exalting has no such luxury, since you never see the dragon again. Makes me wonder how many tundras have to go through the process and end up forgetting, but the hole is still


End file.
